CHAPTER 121: IN THE RIVER WITH HER(2)

Steve’s gaze was fixated on Tonya. She looked beautiful, even after all they’d been through.

Her armor was gone and her attire was a plain long sleeve shirt and trousers, scraped, barely hanging together—but that only seemed to make her more alluring.

Her bare arms caught the slanting light of the setting sun, and beneath the remnants of steel and leather, she still looked... desirable.

His eyes didn’t move from her as he hastily slid the notebook down, tucking it into the waistband of his pants. A clumsy attempt to hide it, but subtlety wasn’t his strength right now. His heart was thumping as he glanced towards her with utter disbelief.

Tonya’s face shifted immediately, disbelief washing over her features, followed by something else. Relief. Joy. That smile—genuine and wide—grew across her face as she dropped her weapon without a second thought. Then she was moving.

She sprinted toward him, her pace impossibly fast. The ruined state of her clothes left her only in a clinging, torn dress—what was once undergarment now worn as outerwear. Her long legs carried her in bounding strides, and before he could even open his arms, she jumped.

Her body collided with his, arms thrown around his neck, her thighs clamping around his waist in one smooth, practiced motion. He caught her instinctively, stumbling back a step but holding firm.

Her warm body molded to his, and the softness of her large breasts pressed fully into his chest. There was no escaping it—he felt everything. Every subtle feel of her softness was invigorating.

Her voice was a whisper of breath against his ear as she held onto him tightly, her hands trembling slightly.

"Steve... I—I thought... I wasn’t going to see you again..."

His heart ached. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight, one hand splaying against her lower back, feeling the rise and fall of her breath.

’I’m glad she’s okay.’ he thought silently.

’This is good. I haven’t lost any member of my harem yet.’

He looked down at her, still cradled in his arms. Her eyes sparkled with emotion, and a flush had crept up her cheeks.

His thoughts swirled with a mixture of relief, longing, and something darker—lust.

"We have to get out from here now." Steve whispered, her voice low and husky.

"Let’s go somewhere... somewhere more private."

Even though they both knew danger still loomed, he couldn’t deny the urge burning inside. And yet, even as he held her close, a whisper of doubt tickled the edges of his mind. Was it wrong to want this now? When everything was still uncertain?

---

Step by step, Steve and Tonya moved deeper into the forest. The night had begun to settle in, cloaking the world in navy hues.

The last rays of sunlight were gone, and the crescent moon had risen, its pale light slanting through the canopy above them. Trees whispered gently in the breeze, and the world was quiet. Too quiet. But it was the kind of silence they needed.

Their footsteps were soft against the mossy earth, their bodies close, senses alert. Every few steps, Steve turned his head slightly, scanning their surroundings. Just in case.

After several minutes of trekking through the dense woods, they came upon a massive tree—its roots sprawling like ancient fingers, forming a hollow cavity beneath.

The space beneath it resembled a natural cave, wide enough to serve as shelter. Beside it, a waterfall cascaded down the rocky slope, its water singing a soft lullaby.

Steve gestured to the hollow.

"This’ll be good for the night."

Tonya nodded. Her long hair shimmered under the moonlight, and even with all the dirt and ruin, she still looked ethereal. They stepped inside together. The ground was carpeted with soft grass and moss. It was safe. Quiet. Hidden.

Steve sat down first, leaning back against the thick root wall, eyes scanning the dark woods beyond.

"No enemies in sight," he muttered softly.

Tonya sighed, finally letting her shoulders drop. She brought a hand to her temple and gently rubbed it.

"That’s good..."

Steve looked at her again, eyes trailing over her body. The way her chest moved as she breathed—slow, deep, rhythmic—he couldn’t help but notice how her breasts shifted beneath the fabric.

The dress she wore was clinging wet, torn at the edges, and barely covering her. Her curves were undeniable.

He swallowed hard and tore his gaze away, then slowly turned back to her, voice quiet.

"What happened to you? After the attack... at the town?"

She didn’t answer immediately. Her expression faltered. She glanced away, lips tightening. Her brows knit together, a look of shame—or pain—washing over her features. Whatever she had seen, whatever she had endured... it was written across her face.

Steve watched her for a moment longer, then pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it aside.

The cool night air kissed his skin, but he didn’t mind. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, rubbing the back of his head.

"I guess that explains it." he said quietly.

Tonya said nothing for a moment, then let her body slump a bit, her arms wrapping around herself. The silence between them was heavy but not uncomfortable. Just shared.

The gloom didn’t stay long. Slowly, she exhaled and lifted her gaze, voice soft and uncertain.

"I feel... immensely dirty. Would it be wrong if—" she hesitated, "—do you feel dirty too?"

Steve blinked, caught off guard by the vulnerability in her voice. He looked at his own hands—smeared with dried blood and dust. His body ached. His mind was exhausted.

"Yeah," he admitted.

"Kinda stained with blood and... stuff."

She nodded slightly. "There’s a river nearby. Would it be bad if we took a shower?"

He looked at her again. Her cheeks were red. Her fingers clutched at the hem of her tattered dress.

The moonlight bathed her in silver. She looked like a ghost of a goddess—something both real and unreal. And her immense busty curves, soon to be his, was far from unnoticeable. He stood, offering her a hand.

"Let’s go."